1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a baling machine for tying an article with a band, more particularly, to a baling machine for tying an article resting on a pallet or like together with the pallet or the like by means of a band.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an article w resting on a pallet 50. The pallet 50 is composed of a top plate 51, a bottom plate 53 and vertical plates 52 connecting between the top plate 51 and the bottom plate 53. The article w resting on such a pallet 50 is tied together with the pallet by means of a band. FIG. 18 illustrates a conventional baling machine used in such a band-tying operation.
The conventional baling machine illustrated in FIG. 18 includes a main body 100 which is provided with a sealing unit 101 for tightening, bonding and cutting the band B, and a reel unit 102 for holding the band B.
On the sealing unit 101 and a base 104, an arch guide 103 is secured adjacent to the main body 100. The chain lines in FIG. 18 represent a lower guide 105 which is typically housed in the main body 100. The main body 100 includes a mechanism for moving the lower guide 105 in a horizontal direction from the main body 100 to the outside, and vice-versa.
In the band-tying operation, the lower guide 105 moves from an opening 106 toward the left in FIG. 18 to connect with a connecting port 107 of the arch guide 103. In order to make a proper connection between the lower guide 105 and the connecting port 107, the main body 100 and the arch guide 103 are fixed on the floor of a building.
When the conventional baling machine as explained above is used for tying the article w resting on the pallet 50 with the band B, the following steps are performed. First, an article w resting on a pallet 50 is placed on the base 104 in such a way that it is aligned with a side face of the sealing unit 101.
Then an operator pushes an operation button of the main body 100, whereupon the lower guide 105 moves leftward in FIG. 18 to pass through the space between the top plate 51 and the bottom plate 53 of the pallet 50 from the opening 106, and then connects with the arch guide 103.
Then, the band B unreeled from the reel unit 102 of the main body 100 reaches the arch guide 103 via the sealing unit 101, the lower guide 105, and the connecting port 107. The band B moves inside the arch guide 103 to return to the sealing unit 101. After the leading end of the band returns to the inside of the sealing unit 101, the sealing unit 101 tightens, bonds and cuts the band B. After that, the lower guide 105 moves into the main body 100 for housing. In this way, the article w is tied together with the pallet 50 by means of the band B.
The conventional baling machine designed as described above includes the arch guide 103. For this reason, when the article w resting on the pallet 50 is inserted in the frame of the arch guide 103 by using a forklift truck, the following problem arises.
When the article w resting on the pallet 50 is inserted in the frame of the arch guide 103, the pallet 50 is placed on the base 104. Hence, it is necessary to provide a conveyor on one or other side of the base 104. More specifically, due to a heavy weight of the article w on the pallet 50, it is necessary that the forklift truck is operated to place the article w resting on the pallet 50 first on the conveyor, then on the base 104. This produces a problem of a low workability.
Further, since the baling machine body 100 and the arch guide 103 are fixed on the floor of the building, it is necessary for a worker to convey the pallet 50 and the article w to their position in the frame of the arch guide 103.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a baling machine capable of facilitating the tying of an article resting on a pallet with a band.
As a first aspect, the present invention has the feature that a baling machine includes a main body including a band feeding mechanism, a band bonding mechanism, and a band cutting mechanism; a vertical table to be aligned with an article resting on a pallet; a band guide provided to be drawn out from under the vertical table in a horizontal direction; a support mechanism for supporting the band guide inside the main body and allowing the band guide to slide; and wheels provided to the main body, in which the band guide slides above the ground contact face of the wheels.
According to the first aspect, the provision of the wheels to the main body enables the main body to be moved to the site of the article resting on the pallet or the like and the vertical table on the main body to be aligned with the article. As long as the vertical table on the main body is aligned with the article, the band guide can be inserted under the pallet or the like, so that the band guided by the band guide can be passed under the pallet or the like. Consequently, it is possible to pass the band under the pallet or the like without moving the article resting on the pallet.
As a second aspect, the present invention has the feature that the band guide is supported only by the support mechanism provided in the main body.
According to the second aspect, since the band guide is supported only by the support mechanism provided in the main body, the band guide is supported while being drawn out from the main body.
As a third aspect, the present invention has the feature that the support mechanism includes a retainer member for inhibiting the turning of a leading end of the band guide toward the ground contact of the wheels.
According to the third aspect, even when the band guide is drawn out from the main body, there is no chance of the leading end of the band guide making a downward inclination.
As a fourth aspect, the present invention has the feature that the support mechanism includes a stop mechanism for determining a selected position for drawing out the band guide.
According to the fourth aspect, since the band guide can be stopped at a selected position, the extent of drawing out the band guide can be determined in correspondence with the size of the pallet or the like.
As a fifth aspect, the present invention has a feature that the main body further includes a band tightening mechanism including an input member linked to an output shaft of a motor serving as a power source, an output member linked to a tension roller for pulling the band, and a powder clutch for engaging or disengaging the input member with or from the output member, and torque transferred from the input member to the output member is varied in accordance with excitation current applied to the powder clutch.
According to the fifth aspect, the band tightening mechanism includes the powder clutch. With such band tightening mechanism, a strength of the fixation between the rotor and the shaft can be changed in accordance with a magnitude of the excitation current passing through the coil of the powder clutch, to vary torque transferred from the rotor to the shaft. Since the torque transferred from the rotor to the shaft is thus varied, it is possible to control a force of tightening the band.